The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for transporting trucks long distances using railways.
In the late 1860's as the Union Pacific was pushing the transcontinental railroad westward toward the Rockies, the Great Plains were described as a “trackman's paradise”. Flat and dry three miles a day of track could be laid with the technology of the day. Today these stretches of land are criss-crossed by modern interstates supporting a massive trucking fleet serving distant cities. As transportation operating costs continue to rise in a fossil fuel constrained world, rural empty land becomes the nemesis of both the railroads, and the long haul trucking operators.
The complexities and the problems of the American transportation system are as complex as the system is vast. These problems need to be solved by merging the best attributes of the trucking fleet with those of the railroads, the flexibility of the truck with the efficiency of the train. At first it was thought that purchase and rehabilitation of abandoned lines was the best route to take. Although doable, this method faces the most difficulties, particularly in terms of funding. Another option was to find an existing short line railroad and expand it using its powers of eminent domain when a public good can be demonstrated. This scenario was more viable but also had timing and financing drawbacks.
What then emerged was a plan to contract or franchise with existing major railroads to provide track and locomotive service. As long as they can maintain the set schedule, they would be free to use the new or upgraded lines. In this scenario everybody benefits. Railroads get a new source of revenue and the use of an upgraded track. The trucking companies benefit for obvious reasons. Environmental interests and fuel conservation groups also have a plan they can support. This enables coalition building on the political front.
Transportation is absolutely vital to all aspects of the national economy. Often times those with direct involvement in the industry work at loggerheads with each other and are in an adversarial relationship with clean air interests and the taxpayers that fund the highway construction. There is a need for a transportation system that interests can support.
There is a nationwide driver shortage estimated at 400,000 drivers at the current time. Given current unemployment rates and demographics, this shortage will not be alleviated in the near future. Add to this situation the fact that commercial drivers are regulated in a variety of ways, the most pertinent is that the number of hours they can drive is limited to 11 hours in a 14 hour period followed by a mandatory 10 hour break. When 70 on-duty hours are logged in an eight day period (or 60 in a seven day), the driver must also not drive until 34 continuous off duty hours are logged, his clock then resets. However logging sleeper time is not counted as on-duty or driving time thus allowing team operations.
A driver is typically paid on a per mile driven basis. Drivers with no experience often start at 30 cents per mile and senior drivers with unionized carriers can make as much as 50 cents. Add to this, 80 cents per mile for fuel, with fuel costs continually rising, and the minimal operating costs start at $1.10 per mile. This does not consider per mile depreciation, maintenance and insurance such that those drivers owning their own rigs need to average $1.50 to $2.00 per mile in revenue just to break even financially. (1st Q 2008)